The draw for Brazil grouped England with Uruguay and pitted Gerrard against the man he believes could go on to become Liverpool's greatest player.

Gerrard already rates Suarez as the best he has lined up alongside, and in an interview to run in full on Christmas Day, he spelt out just how much of a threat his Anfield team-mate is to England's hopes.

"When the World Cup draw was announced the first thing that came to mind was Suarez," he said,"and what we're going to do to keep him quiet.

"I think if Luis is on form and on his game he's close to being unstoppable.

"When you're coming up against him you need to have a game plan for individual players to try and stop him, and you've also got to have a game plan for the manager and team.

"The staff have got to already be under way with preparations on how to stop him because he is that good. I'm sure we'll have a plan and once the season stops I'll be helping with that plan."

Italy and Costa Rica are England's other opponents, and a difficult-looking draw means England will go to a World Cup with expectations among fans lower than at recent tournaments.

And captain Gerrard, who was among the so-called 'golden generation' who carried the weight of supporters' hopes during the Sven Goran Eriksson era, reckons that could benefit England.

He said: "I think people do realise what this team is capable of and not capable of, and I think the unrealistic expectation and pressure has gone which I think will help the team.

"I think to go into a World Cup with people having realistic ambitions is more fair."

till I suppose it still gives him at least another year in the job. By the time it comes around , he can always make up another excuse. First it was 3 months , then a year .....Next year ? Whats his excuse with Van Persie ?